RELIGION
The doctrinal content of the sixth grade Religion curriculum is organized according to the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: the baptismal profession of faith, the Sacraments of faith, the life of faith, and the prayer of the believer. The emphasis will be on the Old Testament as a journey of faith and the manner in which each person’s life is mirrored in the Old Testament, from the call of God to Abraham to the fulfillment of God’s promise in sending the Messiah.
Text:
Sadlier We Believe
LANGUAGE ARTS AND LITERATURE
In the Stella Maris Academy Middle School Language Arts Program the central focus is on the development of skills in reading literature, as well as informational texts, writing, and language.
In the reading component of the Language Arts program students analyze both literature and pieces of informational texts that correspond to their studies in the social sciences to create a cross-curricular dialogue. In using texts and Common Lit, students cite textual evidence to demonstrate their skills in deciphering what the text says explicitly, as well as make inferences. They are also asked to determine the central theme of a work and describe the evolution of a story’s plot taking into account the author’s point of view. In addition to these skills, students compare and contrast different mediums of a work to illustrate a contrast between what they see and hear to what they perceive when they listen or watch. Students also compare different forms and genres to give contrast to similar themes and topics seen in other works.
In writing students are asked to produce expository pieces that contain arguments that support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence from credible sources. While establishing and maintaining a formal style, students create texts that include thesis statements, topic sentences, transitions that clarify relationships, concrete details with accompanying commentary to add analysis to the relevant content, as well as concluding statements to reiterate the arguments made throughout their text. All writing undergoes the processes of planning, revising, editing, and re-writing both with peers and adults. Step Up to Writing/Voyage Sopris Learning is integrated across the curriculum.
The language content of the program utilizes the Holt Handbook and No Red Ink series to reinforce the conventions of standard English. This includes students demonstrating the command of prepositions, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs in both speaking and writing. More specifically, students are asked to recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in subject-verb agreement, as well as noun and pronoun number and person. In addition to these areas, students are also asked to demonstrate basic grammar conventions such as capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in all of their writing, which should also include a variety of sentence patterns that incorporate a specific style and tone that is maintained throughout. In terms of vocabulary acquisition and use, students utilize the Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop series and content-specific words and phrases to obtain mastery in this area. Through the use of consulting context clues, reference materials, and inferred meaning, students are taught to demonstrate an understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Text:
Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop
Holt Handbook
Step up to Writing/Voyager Sopris Learning
MATH
Our middle school math program’s goal is to coach and inspire students towards math success. Our program strives to create an environment that is engaging, differentiated, challenging, and gets our students prepared for high school and beyond.
In Grade 6, instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) connecting ratio and rate to whole number multiplication and division, and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems; (2) developing strong computational skills when using both fractions and integers (3) writing, interpreting, and using expressions, equations and inequalities; and (4) developing an understanding of statistical thinking. Two teachers teach this course, which allows for more individualized instruction, enrichment, and higher-level thinking activities, which will help build a stronger foundation in math. For supplemental review, we use ALEKS, an online platform that is paced to the current needs of the individual student. Our core math program is supplemented with hands-on activities, manipulatives, labs, projects, and games, which makes learning math engaging.
This course uses the McGraw-Hill Math Course 1 textbook
6th Grade Above Grade Level Class: This course is equivalent to the 7th grade Accelerated Grade Level class. This class compacts both the 7th and 8th Grade Common Core State Standards. Instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships; (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations; (3) solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; and (4) drawing inferences about populations based on samples. *This course will move at an accelerated pace.
This course uses the McGraw-Hill Accelerated Pre-Algebra textbook.
SCIENCE
The 6th grade science program has a life science focus. Throughout the year students develop scientific thinking processes by relating, organizing, observing, communicating, and comparing data and to make decisions. Using our core science program, Amplify Science, and supplemental materials students conduct field and lab investigations, use the scientific method, and make decisions using critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our consumable student editions allow students to interact with and connect to science and makes learning more personal. The program also includes online resources, such as videos, interactive articles, and virtual labs that also make learning science more engaging.
The year begins with a unit on the Microbiome of the human body, where we examine the size scale of bacteria and how our bodies have more living microorganisms within us than living human cells! Following is a unit studying metabolism, where we build on our knowledge of microscopic activity to look at the breakdown of nutrients to fuel the essential processes of every cell in our body. Sixth graders then spend time studying foundations of genes and reproduction, staying on the micro-level of studying living things and their life cycle before moving into how energy impacts the environment of living things in a molecular sense with thermal energy. Finally, students grow in their knowledge of energy within our world with weather patterns and Earth’s water and atmosphere.
This course uses Amplify Science
SOCIAL STUDIES
The students learn map skills in every unit. The location of the events in every lesson is emphasized. In addition, class time is devoted to making sure the students know the locations of major U.S cities as well as the countries of South America, Europe, and Asia. The students are expected to be able to name these places on maps that contain just points and numbers. 6th Grade Social Studies also features units on archaeology, hunter-gatherer societies, farming societies, the first towns and cities, Mesopotamia, Ancient India, Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. In studying each of these civilizations, we examine and interpret primary and secondary sources and discuss how these help historians.
This course uses TCI: History Alive! Ancient Civilizations
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS
Students at Stella Maris Academy are exposed to and familiar with the Boys Town Social Skills Curriculum in grades TK-8. The Boys Town Social Skills curriculum focuses on empowering students to problem solve, make better choices, and self-advocate. Social skills are a daily part of our school community. Social skills include: following instructions, greeting others, getting the teacher’s attention, accepting no for an answer, accepting a consequence, staying on task, disagreeing appropriately, listening, working as a team, sharing, asking for permission, and saying an apology.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM
The Sanford Harmony Program is implemented in grades TK-8 and its core value is to build healthy peer relationships inside and outside of the classroom. The goal of Sanford Harmony is to create inclusive classroom communities, where teaching takes priority over resolving personality conflicts or issues among students. Students are empowered to communicate, cooperate, connect, embrace diversity, and resolve conflict. Students are taught meaningful and productive ways to interact and express themselves, which are irreplaceable skills that will last a lifetime.
TECHNOLOGY
Stella Maris Academy is dedicated to modern education by equipping every student in grades 3 through 8 with Chromebooks. This empowers students to excel in a digital era, fostering personalized learning experiences that encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. With Chromebooks, students engage in interactive lessons, explore diverse topics, and create and share knowledge through online platforms and applications. By integrating technology responsibly, we prepare our students to be digital citizens who navigate the digital world with integrity. Our commitment to Chromebooks reflects our mission to provide a well-rounded education that cultivates academic excellence and essential 21st-century digital literacy skills.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Our physical education curriculum is composed of physical fitness fundamentals, motion skills and movement, social skills and sportsmanship. Basic skills that enhance balance, endurance, strength and agility activities, ball-handling skills individually, with partners and in groups, and rope jumping are taught. Each skill involves creative thinking, sportsmanship, fairness, cooperation and following directions.
FINE ARTS
Stella Maris Academy provides a challenging, coherent, and relevant art curriculum, the goal of which is to help students experience and appreciate art and the beauty of the world around them, and to lead them to discover unique and constructive methods of self-expression. In keeping with the diocesan guidelines for a fine arts curriculum, Stella Maris Academy includes in its visual arts curriculum for each grade level elements of four components: (1) exploration of the visual elements and principles of art and design, including line, color, shape, and composition, (2) creative expression through experimenting with various materials and processes, (3) examination of the cultural and historical contexts in which art is created, exploring cultural themes, works of significant artists, styles and processes; and (4) development of skills and vocabulary for looking at and discussing art in terms of design elements, characteristics and appreciation.
SPANISH
We welcome sixth graders to the middle school program with a curriculum that is geared towards improving both fluency and accuracy in speaking and writing. Through drama, music, and art, students learn to describe their world in the present tense, learn Spanish culture, and learn Catholic religious and cultural traditions. Instruction is differentiated for native speakers at every grade level.
LIBRARY
The Stella Maris Academy Library/Media program is built on understanding core knowledge instruction while also learning essential skills for critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration. Stella Maris Academy’s Library/ Media program fundamentally aligns itself with Common Core State Standards while working directly with each classroom teacher to align curriculum. The main component of the Library Media program centers on building strong content knowledge and focusing literacy instruction directly to the text. Students in all grades (TK-8) are encouraged to draw direct evidence from the text itself in order to promote comprehension and cite evidence accurately and correctly. A key component to the program includes an emphasis on interpretive and analytical skills within a range of texts, digital information and internet/ media.
In middle school, students continue to learn how to use print and electronic resources accurately and effectively. The Library Media Center is designed to work closely with the Middle School Language Arts and Social Studies programs to align curriculum and student needs. Students learn how to use MLA format in order to cite information correctly and accurately when writing research papers. Middle school students learn how to find and validate print and electronic information based on their specific research goals.
MUSIC
The music program at Stella Maris Academy exists to provide students with a safe environment in which to experiment with and perfect the God given gift of their voices. Students will be encouraged to sing accurately, in tune, together, and separately. They will be provided with a variety of performance and leadership opportunities through school productions, after school activities, and church services. We want to give our students the opportunity to do something GREAT!